Compact 1D-silicon photonic crystal electro-optic modulator operating with ultra-low switching voltage and energy

Opt Express. 2014 Nov 17;22(23):28623-34. doi: 10.1364/OE.22.028623.

Abstract

We demonstrate a small foot print (600 nm wide) 1D silicon photonic crystal electro-optic modulator operating with only a 50 mV swing voltage and 0.1 fJ/bit switching energy at GHz speeds, which are the lowest values ever reported for a silicon electro-optic modulator. A 3 dB extinction ratio is demonstrated with an ultra-low 50 mV swing voltage with a total device energy consumption of 42.8 fJ/bit, which is dominated by the state holding energy. The total energy consumption is reduced to 14.65 fJ/bit for a 300 mV swing voltage while still keeping the switching energy at less than 2 fJ/bit. Under optimum voltage conditions, the device operates with a maximum speed of 3 Gbps with 8 dB extinction ratio, which rises to 11 dB for a 1 Gbps modulation speed.

MeSH terms

  • Crystallization
  • Electric Capacitance
  • Electricity*
  • Electronics / instrumentation*
  • Numerical Analysis, Computer-Assisted
  • Optical Devices*
  • Photons*
  • Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Silicon / chemistry*
  • Spectrum Analysis
  • Thermodynamics
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Silicon